London Film Festival Review: Laika's 'Wildwood' Is a Visually Dazzling Stop-Motion Fantasy
Laika's Wildwood has premiered at the London Film Festival, with Carey Mulligan leading the voice cast. Directed by Travis Knight, the long-gestating adaptation of Colin Meloy's book is set in Portland and follows a young heroine trying to rescue her abducted baby brother. The review praises the film's ambitious stop-motion animation and compelling fantasy story.
Laika is an Oregon studio known for stop-motion. Its first four features—Coraline, ParaNorman, Missing Link, and Kubo and the Two Strings—each received an Oscar nomination in the animated feature category. Wildwood, described as its most ambitious work, was in development for 16 years and entered production in 2021.
Travis Knight, Laika's CEO, directed the adaptation of Colin Meloy's book. The story unfolds in Portland, Knight's hometown, and Carey Mulligan leads the voice cast. After debuting at the London Film Festival, it will screen at AFI Fest as its North American premiere.
Wildwood may reinforce Laika's standing and draw more attention to stop-motion as a large-scale art form. Viewers who prize handcrafted animation could discover a new entry point, while Portland audiences may see their city reflected in a major fantasy release. Festival exposure at London and AFI Fest could raise the film's profile, though its wider cultural reach will likely depend on how broadly it connects beyond animation fans.